Friday, February 13, 2009

Homeschooling Resources

So, after lots of thinking, weighing the pros and cons, it's finalized: we are going to be a homeschooling family. It's been a complex decision and I've had to take a lot of things into account. Negativity from friends and family has been one thing that has led to my reluctance to fully embrace homeschooling but I'm finally comfortable and secure in my decision. There are a myriad of reasons:

I don't agree with the philosophy of public schools and I can't afford or don't have access to private/charter schools whose philosophies more closely match mine.

I could overlook philosophical differences more easily if the public schools offered top-notch educations but in my town, unfortunately, that is not the case.

I am willing (and able) at this moment to homeschool. We are able to make ends meet on one income right now and hope to be able to do continue. Utilizing relatively free resources (library and internet) and making wise curricula purchases, we can keep the budget for homeschooling low.

I know I can offer my children the type of education I want them to have, maintaining their love and joy of learning and exposing them to things that they might not otherwise be exposed to (African and World Histories being a top priority).

I can address my children's specific needs and honor their gifts and talents while maximizing their time and mine. I believe that way too much time in school is wasted. And while I'm devoted to my children, there are areas of myself I am looking forward to developing as the children get older.

So now that I've accepted that we are a homeschooling family, I just wanted to share some of the resources we've been using.

Starfall--excellent site that teaches reading readiness (letters and sounds, etc)

NYS is one of the strictest states when it comes to homeschooling: the kids do have to be tested yearly and I have to submit paperwork quarterly. I've already gathered resources to make sure I am doing things legally. I want to be on top of things.

I'm still hoping to find a homeschooling group for support and social stuff. I know I will.

One question: since I pay school taxes in my town, why is it that if I choose to homeschool my town refuses to provide services to my child (if he needs it) and refuses to allow him to play on sports teams (not that my town sports teams will actually exist in two to three years the way things are going fiscally for this town) or be involved in any extra-curricular activities? Maybe I'm missing something that would help me understand.

7 comments:

Even though I'm not a homeschooler, I researched this subject extensively. DS #3 is quite advanced and even though we opted for public school, I have sought ways to enrich his education. I think it's imperative that the states support whatever educational route a parent wants to pursue.

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Life can unfold un-limitedly as long as we have a heart of appreciation and an undefeated mind. Based on the Buddhist perspective of the eternity of life, we volunteered to be born in our current life-condition and chose to encounter the problems we have. If you can take this perspective, you should be able to overcome any difficulty with joy.-Daisaku Ikeda, Wisdom for Modern Life